Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Palestinians

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what support the Government is giving to the UN's call for accountability from the Israeli authorities for deaths in Gaza of UNRWA personnel, medical staff, firefighters and technicians, injuries to aid workers and the damage or destruction of UN premises and hospitals and clinics.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: It is deeply tragic that so many UNRWA personnel were killed in the recent escalation in violence in Gaza. There must be meaningful investigations into possible violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law by all sides, including those committed by Hamas and other militant groups. We are calling on both sides to cooperate with the Commission of Inquiry set up by the UN Human Rights Council, which must itself be independent and balanced in its approach.

Palestinians

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking (a) unilaterally and (b) multilaterally to achieve the aims set out in the Foreign Affairs Council conclusions of 15 August 2014 of (i) immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza and (ii) the lifting of the Gaza closure regime.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK is working closely with international partners to secure immediate and unimpeded humanitarian access to Gaza, to deliver much-needed aid to its people. We are also backing Egyptian efforts to secure a durable ceasefire. In this reqard, we are working with international partners to support the establishment of a monitoring and verification mechanism to underpin any ceasefire agreement.

Palestinians

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what the timetable is for the study of options for an internationally-supervised mechanism to enable full access and movement through all Gaza ports of entry agreed at the Foreign Affairs Council of 15 August 2014.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The UK strongly supports the European External Action Service's work to produce an options paper for EU support for a sustainable ceasefire. This paper will include options for a potential EU role in monitoring and verification, and the possibility of reactivating and perhaps expanding the mandate of EUBAM Rafah. Work is continuing in Brussels, and the UK is encouraging the EEAS to put forward detailed and ambitious options.

Middle East

Mr Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will work with other EU member states to address any legitimate security constraints affecting Israel that could prevent the lifting of the Gaza blockade.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: As EU Foreign Ministers made clear at the Foreign Affairs Council on 15 August, the EU stands ready to contribute to a sustainable ceasefire, which must address Israel’s legitimate security concerns, and ease access restrictions to allow Gaza’s economy to grow. The UK will work closely with other EU states to develop options for EU support for a sustainable ceasefire, including by supporting a possible international mechanism endorsed by the UNSC, and through the reactivation and possible extension in scope and mandate of its CSDP missions on the ground.

Palestinians

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations following the ceasefire for an easing of the blockades of Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: Our Ambassador to Tel Aviv raised the issue of Gaza with the Israeli Cabinet Secretary on 7 September. They discussed Israel permitting the transfer of goods to the West Bank, and exports to Israel. He also discussed the issue of Gaza with political director at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 8 September 2014.

Africa

Mr John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department's posts in Africa are taking to promote UK businesses linked to sustainable tourism.

James Duddridge: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is working closely with our partners in government, including DFID and UKTI, to deliver a number of UK Government objectives in Africa, particularly to support UK business and drive sustainable economic growth. For example, Her Majesty's Government’s High Level Prosperity Partnerships with Angola, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Mozambique and Tanzania involves collaborating with UK business across a variety of sectors, though not exclusive to tourism.

Sudan

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will take steps to encourage female participation in peace processes in Sudan in order to ensure that women from all sections of society are represented in those processes.

James Duddridge: We are taking steps to ensure female participation in Sudan’s peace processes. At the national level we have regularly called on the Government of Sudan to include all parts of society in the ongoing National Dialogue, which aims to secure peace in Sudan. We have also supported engagement by UK parliamentarians with female parliamentarians in Sudan to strengthen the role of women in Sudan. Additionally, we are supporting work in Darfur and South Kordofan to ensure women are represented in community peace and conflict resolution processes.

Sudan

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Sudanese government in support of raising the legal age of marriage in Sudan from 10 to 18 year in order to comply with international standards on child rights.

James Duddridge: The UK ensured that the Government of Sudan was represented at the Girl Summit, which took place in London in July this year. The Government of Sudan will now develop the first National Strategy and Action Plan to combat Child, Early and Forced Marriage. The UK has been invited to participate and will continue to press the Government of Sudan to raise the legal age of marriage to 18.

Families

Lucy Powell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the Prime Minister's speech of 15 August 2011 calling for a family test to be applied to all domestic policy, which policies of his Department have been so assessed to date.

Mr Tobias Ellwood: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office promotes the UK’s interests overseas, supporting our citizens and businesses around the globe. As such, we do not have responsibility for creating domestic policy.

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Exports: Government Assistance

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many bids to the Export Refinancing Facility have been (a) received and (b) approved since its launch; and how many firms have received funds under the scheme to date.

Matthew Hancock: The Export Refinancing Facility (ERF) was launched on 30 April 2014 in order to support UK bids for projects that require finance above £50m.   The ERF does not provide funds directly to firms but a commitment to banks funding loans to overseas buyers of UK exports to take-out that loan if it has not been possible for the bank to refinance it commercially.   UK Export Finance officials have held several discussions with exporters, overseas buyers and banks in relation to ERF, with one case currently under discussion.   It is likely that ERF will be most relevant during periods of constrained liquidity in the banking market. Given current market conditions, export credit transactions are less likely to require ERF in order to take place but the facility remains an important product in UKEF’s portfolio giving it the ability to respond quickly to changes in those market conditions.

Royal Mail

Mr Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what information his Department  holds on the current ownership of shares in Royal Mail.

Matthew Hancock: Maintaining and updating the Royal Mail shareholder register is the responsibility of the company.   A number of financial market Information providers publish information about company shareholders including Royal Mail.   The Government does not hold any information that cannot be obtained from these sources.

Unmanned Air Vehicles: Israel

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether the Government has issued export licences for unmanned aerial vehicle engines for use by the Israeli Defence Force since 2010.

Matthew Hancock: No licences have been granted for unmanned aerial vehicle engines for use by the Israeli Defence Force since 2010.

Exports: Israel

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many applications for standard individual export licences for export to Israel were made between 8 July 2014 and 31 July 2014; and how many such applications were successful.

Matthew Hancock: 19 applications have been submitted for Standard Individual Export Licences for direct export to Israel.   A further 16 applications have been submitted for Standard Individual Export Licences for export, where Israel is listed an ultimate end user on the application.   Of the 35 applications, 2 licences have been granted.   Our assessment is that the licences granted are not for items that could be used by Israeli forces in operations in Gaza in response to attacks in Hamas.

Exports: Israel

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many decisions on standard individual export licence applications for export to Israel were made between 1 and 31 August 2014; and what proportion of the decisions on such applications were successful.

Matthew Hancock: 8 decisions for Standard Individual Export Licences were made for direct export to Israel, all of which were decisions to grant a licence.   Our assessment is that the licences granted are not for items that could be used by Israeli forces in operations in Gaza in response to attacks in Hamas.

Exports: Israel

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many applications for standard individual export licences for export to Israel were made between 1 and 31 August 2014; and how many such applications were successful.

Matthew Hancock: 30 applications have been submitted for Standard Individual Export Licences for direct export to Israel.   A further 7 applications have been submitted for Standard Individual Export Licences for export, where Israel is listed as a potential or ultimate end user on the application.   Of the 37 applications, 2 licences have been granted.   Our assessment is that the licences granted are not for items that could be used by Israeli forces in operations in Gaza in response to attacks in Hamas.

Construction: Subsistence Allowances

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many construction workers claimed subsistence allowances in each of the last five years.

Nick Boles: The Department for Business Innovation and Skills does not hold this kind of information; subsistence allowances are a matter for the companies concerned.

Olympic Games 2012

Sir Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what UK Trade and Industry's most recent (a) estimate and (b) target is for business generated for UK companies as a result of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Matthew Hancock: UK Trade & Investment was tasked with delivering £11bn of UK-wide economic legacy from the London 2012 Games by 2016.   This target was achieved 14 months after the Games; £11.6bn reported in October 2013.   The latest figures show that the figure of economic benefit achieved through export growth and attracting new investment now stands at £14.2bn.